July 15, 2008

(San Francisco) - Hal DeJulio, a member of USF's 1949 NIT Championship Basketball Team and a member of the USF Hall of Fame, passed away Saturday, July 12, 2008. DeJulio was born October 2, 1924. He was 83.

A public viewing will be held from 5:00pm to 7:00pm and Vigil/Rosary Service will begin at 7:00pm this Friday, July 18th at Graham-Hitch Mortuary located at 4167 - 1st Street in Pleasanton, CA. Funeral services will be held Saturday, July 19 at 10:30 AM at St. Isadore's Church, located at 440 La Gorda Way in Danville.

DeJulio was a role player for the Dons as a member of Pete Newell's basketball teams in the late 1940's and made tremendous contributions in selling the University of San Francisco to future recruits. Credited as one of the key individuals who helped bring basketball legend Bill Russell to the Hilltop, DeJulio served as a president and member of the USF Century Club, supporting USF Athletics.

Other recruits largely attracted to USF by DeJulio's efforts included All-Americans - Don Lofgran and Mike Farmer, future NBA players - Joe Ellis, Eric Fernsten, Erwin Mueller and future USF Dons coach Bob Gaillard. In a feature in the 1972-73 USF Men's Basketball Media Guide, DeJulio explained his philosophy and why the university meant so much to him.

"I guess you call it the human equation," DeJulio said at the time. "By that I mean the feeling of closeness shared by everyone affiliated with the university: priests, lay faculty, students, coaches, athletes, everybody. The great values of life that I received from USF are what have kept me close. The human equation."

A 1975 inductee into the USF Father Hub Flynn Athletics Hall of Fame, DeJulio served the university as a student-athlete, recruiter, friend and assistant. USF Legend of the Hilltop Mike Farmer vividly remembers his first exposure to DeJulio as a prep standout in Richmond.

"Hal was the most energetic, enthusiastic person I had ever met coming out of high school," Farmer said. "He convinced me USF was the only place I could possibly go and play basketball and get an education and he was right. Hal was a great guy."

Ross Giudice, an assistant under Phil Woolpert and a teammate of DeJulio on USF's first national championship squad, credits DeJulio for attracting the best basketball talent in the East Bay for the Dons.

"Hal did a lot for USF. He did most of the recruiting of ball players in the East Bay. DeJulio was instrumental in getting Bill Russell to USF," Giudice said.

The family has asked that donations be sent to the Alzheimer's Association in Hal's name at 1060 La Avenida St., Mountain View, CA 94043.

Contact Numbers:
St. Isadore's Church: (925) 837-2122
Graham Hitch Mortuary: (925) 846-5634
Alzheimer's Association: (650) 962-8111

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